


The Snow King (One-Shots)

by ItsNotEasyBeingQueen



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, King!Kurt, M/M, Mild Angst, prince!Blaine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:47:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27967799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsNotEasyBeingQueen/pseuds/ItsNotEasyBeingQueen
Summary: Prince Blaine of the South, banished by his own father, ventures to the North seeking asylum with his friend and confidant, Sebastian. Kurt, known throughout the North as The Snow King, is their only hope. Will Blaine find the safety he seeks - or perhaps, even, the home he never had? AU. Repost of chapters originally posted as part of my Klaine Advent-ures 2019 series.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel
Comments: 34
Kudos: 49





	1. The Palace of The Snow King

**Author's Note:**

> For a variety of reasons, I was not able to participate in this year's Klaine Advent Challenge. Last year, I participated and wrote three chapters in the same AU verse. I'd always meant to post them together as a separate entry. Since I can't contribute anything new this holiday, I thought this was as good a time as any. If you've read them before, I hope you enjoy revisiting them now. If not, I humbly welcome you to join me in visiting The Snow King.

A brisk and relentless wind howled as the two weary travelers approached the gate. They’d been on the move for days now, often on foot, sometimes catching a ride with a friendly merchant or farmer to take them part of the way. Finally, they had reached their destination.

“Are you sure about this?” one traveler asked the other as he gazed upwards. The immense gate rose high above them, a massive structure that appeared to be made almost entirely of ice.

“As sure as I’m ever going to be, Sebastian,” his companion replied. Taking a deep breath and exhaling a cloud of mist into the swirling snowflakes, the somewhat shorter man raised his gloved hand to grasp the large door knocker. He lifted it and gave two loud knocks, the sound seeming to reverberate among the surrounding mountains.

“I mean, come on, Blaine,” Sebastian continued in the ensuing wait for someone to approach, “of all the kingdoms in the realm, you chose the land of the Ice Princess?”

“That’s Snow King, Seb,” Blaine corrected, not for the first time during their trip.

“Right. And do you know why they call him the Snow King?” Sebastian persisted.

“I don’t know,” Blaine snapped. “Maybe because the last person who called him Ice Princess disappeared and was never heard from again?”

Sebastian peered through the gate at the enormous palace beyond and considered the power that the man living there must possess. “Fair point,” he conceded. “But the North Kingdom is the only kingdom that never traded with us in the South. In fact, I can’t remember the last time your father and the Ice Prin…uh, Snow King, ever even communicated.”

Blaine squinted through the bars of the gate once more, and through the blowing snow, he spotted a figure approaching from within. “Exactly the reason why we’re here,” he said quietly. “When you’ve been banished by the King of the South, you don’t exactly go running to his best friends for asylum, now do you?”

Their conversation halted when a man, presumably a guard, reached the gate. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore a heavy white parka trimmed with fur around the hood. “State your business,” he ordered brusquely.

Blaine cleared his throat, attempting to clear his mind of anxiety at the same time. “I am Prince Blaine of the South, and this is Sir Sebastian Smythe. We come seeking an audience with his majesty, King Kurt of the North,” Blaine announced in his formal, royal voice.

The tall guard narrowed his eyes. “The South does not normally send emissaries to our gates,” he said suspiciously, reaching towards his hip for what Blaine presumed was a weapon.

“We are not emissaries,” he insisted. “I am not sent by the King or any member of the royal family. I am here on my own accord with my friend. Please, we only wish to speak to the King for a few moments. We have traveled quite far, and beg your indulgence,” he added with a slight bow. He ignored the grumbled “Oh, good lord,” coming from beside him.

The guard eyed the two carefully, then shrugged and nodded. He unlatched the gate from the inside, and pushed one side open enough for the two to pass. Once they had done so, he swung the gate closed and locked it again. “Follow me,” he motioned to them with his hand and began walking up the pathway towards the castle. They had to hurry to keep up with his long strides.

Fortunately, the walk to the front doors was not a particularly long one. The temperature seemed to be dropping with their every step, and Blaine wasn’t sure how much longer he and Sebastian could stand being out in the elements. They’d attired themselves appropriately for the weather, picking up coats and boots and hats and gloves as they traveled northward, but their southern upbringing left them woefully unaccustomed to the bitter cold that deepened the closer they got their destination.

Blaine’s heart sunk slightly as the castle neared. It, too, appeared to be made of solid ice. _Great_ , he thought to himself. _I’ll never be warm again_.

The guard opened the front doors of the castle and led them inside. Surprisingly, despite the icy exterior, the inside was warm and bright. They were in a massive entry hall, with high arched ceilings, a gleaming marble floor, and a huge double staircase winding upwards. Blaine could only take in a few of the details because suddenly, two servants were with them, helping to divest them of their outerwear before disappearing as silently as they had arrived. The guard, freed of his own parka to reveal a crisp white uniform underneath, continued walking forward, leading them between the two staircases and under an archway, passing into what Blaine realized was the King’s reception area. There was a long, narrow hall, with mirrors lining the walls. At the end, the hallway flared out into a round room. All around the room were portraits, presumably of past kings, queens, and other royals. As much as Blaine would have liked to study them, he did not have time. In the center of the room, seated on a large, white throne, was the King himself – a sight that instantly demanded his full attention.

“King Kurt,” the guard announced in a loud, bellowing voice. The man on the throne, who had apparently been too preoccupied to notice their arrival, looked up expectantly. “This is Prince Blaine and Sir Sebastian Smythe…of the South,” the guard added hesitantly.

The king raised a perfect brow. “Of the South, you say?” he repeated, sounding impressed. “Well, well, this is a surprise. Bring them forward, Finn,” he commanded.

Blaine and Sebastian approached, stopping a few feet from the throne where Finn indicated, and bowing respectfully. “Your majesty,” Blaine greeted.

“Please, your highness, Sir Sebastian. Do rise,” Kurt requested kindly.

Blaine and Sebastian stood, and Blaine’s breath caught in his throat. He’d heard the tales of the Snow King, with eyes of ice and skin like snow. The legends had painted a portrait of a cold ruler, fair but devoid of warmth and sentiment. Looking into those eyes for the first time himself, he was sure they were wrong. The eyes were crystalline, not icy, and a faint blush kept his skin from appearing too pale. Blaine knew he was a bit of a romantic, but he was certain that a warm heart beat beneath that broad chest.

“Now tell me, Prince Blaine, what brings the heir to the throne of the South to my door on this fine day?” Kurt asked.

“You ask the perfect question, your majesty,” Blaine replied with a sad smile. “As a matter of fact, I am no longer the heir to the throne.”

“What? Why?” Kurt was clearly shocked by Blaine’s revelation.

Blaine had had days to practice telling his story, but found that saying it out loud was more difficult than he’d imagined. “I will be honest with you, though you may find the truth objectionable. My father, the King, has banished me from the South. He has declared that I am never to return and never to ascend the throne, for his kingdom will not be ruled or inhabited by a man who loves other men.”

The room was silent after Blaine’s blunt but powerful statement. Blaine held his head high. If King Kurt turned him away, he was no worse off than he was before. He held the King’s gaze, hoping to find some glimmer of hope in those captivating eyes. He thought he saw a flame of anger, and feared it was directed at him.

“You were right, your highness. I do find that truth to be objectionable,” Kurt said, ice in his voice. Blaine’s heart sunk and his eyes dropped to the floor. This was it. He had no other idea as to where to go. He and Sebastian were doomed.

“I find it highly objectionable, indeed, that a father should turn out his son for being true to his nature. No one should be punished or exiled for who they love,” the King finished.

Blaine’s head snapped up in surprise, his eyes wide and his mouth falling slightly open. “Y-your majesty?” he stammered.

Kurt’s countenance warmed as he leaned on the arm of his throne and smiled at Blaine. “After all, if every father did that, I wouldn’t be sitting here, now would I?”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Sebastian murmured, drawing the attention of the two royals. “What?” he exclaimed to Blaine elbowing him in the ribs good-naturedly. “Like you saw that coming?”

Blaine looked back and forth between Sebastian and Kurt, hardly daring to believe their good fortune.

“So tell me, my Prince,” Kurt went on, smirking at the blush that formed on the prince’s cheek, “what is it you seek from the North?”

Blaine took a breath to calm himself. “Asylum, my King,” he declared, stating his immediate allegiance. “Shelter, a new life. A chance to live as ourselves among those who accept us freely.”

Kurt regarded the two men before him. “Of course. You shall have it. You and your, um,” he faltered, clearly uncertain what word to choose. “…your, betrothed?” he ventured.

“No!” Blaine blurted, louder than he’d intended. “No, no. No betrothal. No.”

“Subtle, your highness,” Sebastian drawled, rolling his eyes.

“Sir Sebastian is my most trusted friend and companion. He is of the same…inclination as I, and would have been rejected by the palace had it become known. When he heard of my predicament, he offered to leave with me and go in search of a new home.”

“I see,” Kurt nodded. Blaine thought he noted a hint of relief in the King’s expression when Blaine said he and Sebastian were just friends. “As I was saying, you and your friend are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. I will have rooms prepared for both of you at once. Should you choose, you may call the North Kingdom your home from this day forward.”

Blaine couldn’t help but smile in happiness and utter relief. He turned and hugged Sebastian excitedly. “Thank you! Thank you so much, your majesty,” he gushed. “You have no idea what this means to me and to Sebastian. We will not encroach upon your charity for long, however. We wish to make lives for ourselves, and to be useful to the kingdom.”

“Oh?” Kurt prompted.

“Yes. I could, um,” Blaine fumbled, “well, I have a background in music. I could entertain the Court,” he paused to think of other options. Sebastian found it an appropriate moment to interject, “Yeah, you could,” suggestively. Blaine was mortified, but his fear was quelled when he noticed the King’s color heighten slightly. “I could also teach music to the children in the kingdom, if you would like. I could…”

“Be calm, your highness,” Kurt interrupted gently. “All will be well. There will be time to discuss details later. For now, why don’t we get you and Sir Sebastian to the guest rooms so you can refresh yourselves and get some rest after your arduous journey.” Kurt rose from his throne and walked forward to stand before the two new members of his kingdom. He held out his hand to Sebastian first, who, in an unusually serious display of grace and propriety, took it and bowed respectfully. “Thank you for your kindness and hospitality, my King.” Kurt nodded in acceptance of Sebastian’s declaration.

He then turned to Blaine, who similarly took his hand and bowed. When he rose, he found himself still holding Kurt’s hand and locking eyes with him. “If you are not too tired later, perhaps you would join me for dinner so we could discuss your future, Prince Blaine.” Kurt’s voice was soft and warm.

“I would be honored, your majesty. But please, you may simply call me Blaine. I am not a prince here,” Blaine replied.

Kurt’s brow furrowed. “I shall not strip you of your title, but I will honor your request…Blaine,” the King answered with a smile. He leaned a tiny bit closer and whispered, “Between you and me, I kind of hate the whole ‘King’ and ‘your majesty’ thing, so perhaps you could call me Kurt?”

It was Blaine’s turn to smile. “Okay,” he whispered back.

Kurt stood tall again and gestured to Finn, who had been standing at attention off to the side during the whole exchange. “Finn, would you take our guests to see Mr. Schue? Our majordomo,” he added as an aside to Blaine and Sebastian. “Tell him to place our guests in our finest rooms and to see that they are given all that they need.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Finn responded with a bow. “Your highness? Sir Sebastian? Please, follow me.”

With a parting bow to their new king, the two men turned and followed the guard out of the reception room. “Not too shabby,” Sebastian said quietly. “Not only do we have a new home in the palace, but you scored yourself a date!”

Blaine shushed Sebastian reprovingly and gave him a light shove, while Finn barely disguised an indecorous snort of laughter.

As they passed by some tall windows that revealed a wild blizzard raging outside, Blaine couldn’t help but think that he seemed to truly feel warm for the first time in his life.


	2. To Have a Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blaine contemplates his past, and makes a decision about his future.

The blizzard had raged for three days and three nights after Blaine and Sebastian’s arrival at the palace, effectively keeping everyone indoors. Blaine hadn’t seen the Snow King ( _Kurt_ , his mind corrected him) since their dinner on his first night. Whenever he would nonchalantly ask Marley, the maid assigned to him, about Kurt’s whereabouts, she informed him that the King was extremely busy on a matter of great importance. The third time Blaine inquired, he caught her knowing smile. 

He really needed to rein in his feelings.

In Kurt’s absence, Blaine initially spent his time with Sebastian, but his best friend had quickly taken interest in a certain court advisor named Hunter, leaving Blaine with ample time to explore the castle on his own. 

After wandering through room after room, he eventually settled into a pattern of inhabiting one of two places: the conservatory or the library. The conservatory offered the solace and distraction of a gorgeous grand piano, at which Blaine spent several hours each day.

The library, of course, was home to hundreds of volumes. Blaine perused the shelves, awestruck by the breadth of knowledge contained in one room. He was sure he could spend years reading book after book and never finish them all.

Reading, however, was not what drew Blaine to the library. More often than not, he found himself perched on the velvet-cushioned window seat, gazing out of the enormous window at the vista beyond. Even in the snowstorm, when little was visible through the swirling flakes, he peered out toward the distant horizon – due south.

It was no surprise that Blaine was at that same window the morning that the storm had broken. The skies were clear and the wintry sun shone down over the meadows and forest beyond, making the clinging ice crystals sparkle in its glow. Sebastian invited Blaine to go riding that morning to take advantage of the break in the weather. Blaine waved him off, ensuring Sebastian that he would find better entertainment with Hunter than he would with Blaine. Sebastian tried to argue, but Blaine playfully pulled rank and ordered him on his way. 

Aside from wanting to encourage Sebastian’s happiness, Blaine felt that he needed the morning alone with his thoughts. He stared again out the window to the south, knees pulled up to his chest and a folded letter at his feet. A light knocking sound surprised him and drew his attention to the doorway.

“My apologies for startling you, Blaine,” Kurt said in a soft voice. “May I?” he asked, seeking permission to enter his own library, of all things.

Blaine scurried to rise, but was halted by a raised hand. “No, please. Don’t move. I know firsthand how comfortable that seat can be,” Kurt smiled, crossing the room and approaching him.

“Good morning, Kurt,” Blaine greeted with a smile of his own. “It is so nice to see you again. I understand you have been exceedingly busy.”

Kurt rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Well, you know, heavy lies the head and all that,” he quipped.

Blaine nodded, turning back toward the window with a sigh.

A moment’s silence passed between them. Kurt settled himself on the opposite side of the window seat, bringing one knee up and regarding Blaine thoughtfully. “You miss it, don’t you? Home?”

Blaine shrugged, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. Did he miss it? How could he miss a place where he had been treated so poorly? Was it really home when the man who ruled had cast him out? It hadn’t been _all_ bad, of course. He’d left behind a handful of wonderful friends, and he’d grown to truly care for the well-being of the people of his kingdom. Well, what _used_ to be his kingdom, anyway.

“It’s okay to miss it, you know. It’s perfectly reasonable.” Kurt leaned forward, resting an elbow on his knee. The paper near Blaine’s feet caught his attention. Although it was lying face down, the embossed royal seal was clearly visible at the top of the page. “Blaine? Is this…” Kurt trailed off, his voice laced with concern.

“He wants me to come back,” Blaine said flatly. “He said he wants to ‘make amends,’ whatever that means.” 

Kurt didn’t know Blaine well, but the bitter tone in his voice seemed foreign to his personality. “Are you thinking of going?” he asked hesitantly.

Blaine turned to face Kurt, finally, a hard yet saddened look in his eyes. “Never,” he answered definitively. “I can never go back, Kurt. I don’t want to go back. I won’t live somewhere I’m not wanted.” He nudged the paper with his foot, sending it fluttering to the hardwood floor below. “Besides,” he chuckled mirthlessly, “I probably wouldn’t make it five miles past your borders before his army captured me.

“Two,” Kurt muttered, biting his lip self-consciously.

“What?”

Kurt sighed, pulling a paper from his coat pocket and handing it to Blaine. “I received this report this morning from my scouts. Small groups of soldiers are stationed at various points about two miles past the boundary of the North. They have instructions to capture you – and Sebastian – should you attempt to cross.” He paused, allowing Blaine to read the report for himself. “I’m sorry,” he added.

Blaine handed the document back to Kurt, who immediately returned it to his pocket to be out of sight. “I don’t, you know,” Blaine said softly, glancing out the window briefly and then back at Kurt. “Miss it. It was never really home, after all. Home is where you fit in, and belong, not necessarily where you were born or raised. And now,” he continued, the corners of his mouth lifting gently, “I think I finally have a chance to find out what a home can be.”

The Snow King reached out his hand in a silent offer. The Prince of the South took it, clasping it firmly in his own. Home, family, safety, love, hope – Blaine felt all of those things in the hand holding his. All of the things that had been denied to him for so long were literally in his grasp. All he had to do was hold on.

“Come on,” Kurt encouraged brightly, obviously trying to lighten the moment. He stood and pulled Blaine up beside him, leading him towards the door. “I’ve heard tales of a prince who plays the piano beautifully, and I’d like to see if it’s true.”

Blaine followed easily, laughing aloud for the first time in days. Suddenly, the southern view no longer held any interest for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I've shamelessly stolen (or lovingly borrowed, depending on your POV) the chapter title from Darren/Harry's song in AVPS. I'd like to think it's what Blaine will play for Kurt when they get to the conservatory.


	3. Heavy Lies the Head and All That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of background on our young Snow King, and his POV leading up to his entrance into the library in Chapter Two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title for this chapter comes from a line Kurt says in the last chapter.

On the day of Prince Kurt’s eighteenth birthday, King Burt of the North abdicated the throne. With his declining health, he knew there was a chance that he would not be able to rule much longer. But more than that, he knew there were those who questioned his son’s ability to rule, an opinion that was based solely on their preconceptions and prejudice. Voluntarily surrendering the throne was Burt’s ultimate sign to the people of his unwavering faith in Kurt as his successor. 

He had begun grooming his son in earnest around the tender age of fourteen, preparing the prince for the day he would take his father’s place as King. Kurt rebelled against the idea, refusing to attend lessons at first and even sometimes hiding within the palace. Finally, Burt sat his son down for a serious heart-to-heart. For once, Kurt listened, and despite his trepidation, he agreed to do everything in his power to learn. If nothing else, he would do it to honor Burt’s legacy as one of the greatest rulers the North had ever known.

Burt’s course of study was carefully constructed. It was not his intention to teach Kurt to be Burt’s clone; rather, it was to turn Kurt to the best version of himself. The goal was to teach him to _think_ like a king, making his own decisions based upon his own judgment. Perhaps that was why Burt’s very direct statement about one subject seemed so out of the ordinary.

They were seated at a long table studying a map of the various surrounding kingdoms, alongside a large tome that detailed the history of each of the realm’s rulers. Burt was peppering in a few anecdotes about his experiences with each of the current monarchs. When the subject turned to the South, Burt’s face darkened.

“I have never trusted that man,” Burt muttered darkly under his breath, thinking Kurt would not be able to hear him.

“What? Who?” Kurt inquired.

Burt sighed, sitting back in a rather large armchair. He seemed to be debating something internally, struggling to choose the right words.

Kurt huffed impatiently. “You can just say it, you know. As you’ve taught me, I’ll make my own decisions,” he smirked knowingly.

Burt laughed, shaking his head affectionately. Despite their wildly different personalities, Kurt really was his father’s son.

xoxoxo

Kurt frowned at the paper in his hand. He shouldn’t be surprised. It was precisely what he would have expected the King of the South to do, but seeing it in black and white was disheartening all the same. The real problem, in his mind, was how to tell Blaine.

How do you tell someone that his own father wants to capture him – and worse yet, likely wishes him dead?

The moment Blaine and Sebastian left Kurt’s throne room that first day, he’d summoned his head of intelligence, ordering him to find out anything he could about the South King’s intentions. It had taken three full days to receive any information. The brutal storm had slowed the speed of the officer’s travel to the border and back. Late on the night of the third day, the man returned, a somber look in his eye.

Kurt had known – first from his father, and then from his own experience – that the King of the South was an intolerant, hateful, ignorant man. But it was still beyond his comprehension how the man could despise his own son, especially when that son was Blaine.

The bright winter sun now shone through the windows, heralding the end of the storm and the start of a fresh, new day. With a sigh, Kurt tucked the report in his pocket and rose from his chair, directing his steps toward the library, where he knew Blaine was likely to be found. Perhaps, he thought with a bittersweet smile, today could be fresh, new day for Blaine, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I went back and read this one, I was a bit disappointed with myself because it's so short and not really a good "ending" for this 'verse. However, these were written as one-shots, not as a full story arc, so perhaps you will forgive me for that. I do hope to come back one day and write more for our King and Prince. Until then, be kind to yourselves and to each other.


	4. Festival of Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Festival of Hearts in the North Kingdom. Will Kurt and Blaine have a special reason to celebrate?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a Christmas Miracle! I remembered that I'd written an additional 3 chapters in The Snow King 'verse for my 2020 Valentine's Day Challenge submission. Hope you enjoy these bonus chapters.

The palace was abuzz with activity. Everyone was bustling here and there, excited for the upcoming Festival of Hearts. Blaine had heard of the holiday, though it wasn’t celebrated much in his native South Kingdom. But here, it seemed to be all anyone could talk about.

When Blaine had asked Kurt about it, the king had replied that he personally believed it was little more than a day designed to distract people from the bleakness of winter’s depths. Blaine somewhat shyly admitted that he found it rather romantic. “I think there’s something really great about a day where you’re encouraged to just lay it all on the line and say to somebody, ‘I’m in love with you,’” he confessed. Before Blaine could continue, Kurt suddenly remembered an important obligation, and rushed out of the room. Blaine wasn’t sure what he had said to upset him, but he decided not to press the matter further.

That didn’t mean he did not spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about what it would be like to ask Kurt to be his at the Festival. Over the course of the past several weeks with Kurt, he had come to realize he was completely and hopelessly enchanted by the Snow King. While he was certain of his own feelings, he was less sure of Kurt’s heart, which the man kept carefully guarded. Even if Kurt did return his feelings, however, there was another seemingly insurmountable obstacle in Blaine’s path.

Kurt was the king of all of the North. He was powerful, revered, and had an entire kingdom at his command. Blaine was little more than an outcast, with no title, no land, no riches – he had absolutely nothing of value to his name. With a heavy sigh, he vowed to put all thoughts of romance out of his head. He had no business thinking of Kurt that way.

The day before the festival, Blaine was in the music room, playing a romantic ballad on the piano and most definitely not thinking about Kurt.

“There you are.” Blaine’s hands stilled on the keys as his head snapped up towards the doorway. Kurt smiled and entered the room, closing the door behind him and walking over to the piano. “I thought I might find you here,” he teased. The entire household was well aware of Blaine’s penchant for passing his morning in the music room.

Kurt seemed nervous and fidgety, a complete contrast to the confident demeanor Blaine usually saw him display. He took a deep breath, and then brought a single, red rose out from behind his back, laying it atop the piano in front of Blaine. 

Blaine stared at the rose, his heart beating wildly now. Could it be? No, of course not. It was only a rose, most likely a gesture of friendship. There was no way… With shaking fingers, he reached up for the flower, bringing it to his nose and breathing in its sweet perfume. Only then did he allow himself to look at Kurt questioningly.

Kurt smiled again, biting his lip nervously. “I hope you like it,” he said softly. 

“It’s beautiful,” Blaine replied. “But, why?” he added, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kurt came around the piano and settled on the bench next to Blaine, taking his hand. He held it lightly between his own, studying it as he brushed his thumb across the back before threading their fingers together. “Someone I know may have changed my mind about the Festival of Hearts,” he murmured, raising his eyes to Blaine’s hopefully.

Blaine shook his head in protest. “But, Kurt, I have nothing to offer you. You deserve someone who is your equal, not a cast-off prince with no more to his name than the clothes on his back,” he argued, dropping his head in shame.

“Do you think so little of me?” Kurt questioned gently, squeezing Blaine’s hand for emphasis. “Blaine, I have met dozens of ‘equals,’ as you call them – kings, queens, nobility, people with wealth and power beyond compare. None of them, not a single one, has ever moved me or touched my heart the way that you have. It doesn’t matter to me whether you have all the riches in the kingdoms or not.” Kurt placed a finger beneath Blaine’s chin, guiding his head up and locking their gazes once more. “Blaine,” he said sincerely, “all I want is you.”

That year’s Festival of Hearts celebration was long-remembered by the people as one of the best. For many, it was the sight of their king, happily hand-in-hand with his new love, that gave them the most reason to rejoice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original Valentine's Day Challenge prompt for this was the song "All I Want Is You" by U2.


	5. Only Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurt has declared his feelings for Blaine, but something is holding Blaine back. Can Kurt convince him to let go of his reservations and follow his heart?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The events in this chapter immediately follow those in "Festival of Hearts."

_“Do you think so little of me?” Kurt questioned gently, squeezing Blaine’s hand for emphasis. “Blaine, I have met dozens of ‘equals,’ as you call them – kings, queens, nobility, people with wealth and power beyond compare. None of them, not a single one, has ever moved me or touched my heart the way that you have. It doesn’t matter to me whether you have all the riches in the kingdoms or not.” Kurt placed a finger beneath Blaine’s chin, guiding his head up and locking their gazes once more. “Blaine,” he said sincerely, “all I want is you.”_

Blaine’s mind reeled and his heart raced at Kurt’s declaration. It was everything he had been hoping to hear for weeks. All he wanted to do was lean in the few tiny inches it would take to press his lips to Kurt’s. He was stopped by a nagging voice in the back of his head.

“Kurt, I…” he faltered, desperately searching for the words to properly express his thoughts. Kurt’s countenance fell, interpreting the pause as a sign of rejection. “No! No, no, Kurt,” Blaine rushed out, grasping Kurt’s hand tightly. “Please don’t misunderstand.”

“It’s okay, Blaine,” Kurt said sadly. “I’m sorry if I misinterpreted your feelings.”

“It isn’t that, not at all. I feel exactly the same way that you do. It’s just, well, this isn’t only about us, is it?” Blaine asked. “If it were only about you and me, you would be in my arms this second and I’d never let you go. But you are the king, Kurt. What about your people? You have to do what is best for them. Will they really accept a cast-off prince for their king?”

Kurt sighed in relief, feeling the warm blush in his cheeks at the thought of being held in Blaine’s arms. But as much as he wanted to gather Blaine to him and kiss him senseless, he apparently needed to clear up one more thing with his dear prince. 

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Blaine nodded, and Kurt shook his head in fond exasperation. “Blaine, I owe a lot of things to my people. I owe them my strength, my loyalty, my leadership, and my compassion – but my heart is my own to do with as I choose. Yes, there may be some who will express doubt or dissatisfaction with us, but that does not matter to me. I have dealt with people who want me to be something other than myself my whole life,” he went on, squeezing Blaine’s hand for emphasis as he added, “as have you. Yet here we are, still ourselves. Think how much stronger we will be facing them together.”

Blaine held Kurt’s gaze for a moment, letting Kurt’s words to wash over him. It had been a long time since Blaine had allowed himself to really hope. Even before coming out to his father, their relationship had been strained. During the years that he kept his inclinations a secret, he didn’t dare allow himself to dream of ever being able to love someone openly. It was little wonder, then, that he found himself having difficulty letting go of the doubt and giving in to his desire to be with the man beside him.

Kurt could see Blaine struggling. He would never try to push Blaine into doing something he did not want. He could see, though, that Blaine didn’t doubt his own feelings. His only hesitation was that being together might not be the best thing for Kurt. How was he supposed to make Blaine understand?

Of course! There was always one way that Kurt could express his feelings perfectly. Releasing Blaine’s hand, he turned on the piano bench and began playing the melody of a song he loved but never fully understood until this moment. He sang the lyrics softly, turning to catch Blaine’s eye in between glances at the keys.

_I don’t need you to sell me on reasons to want you  
I don’t need you to search for the proof that I should  
You don’t have to convince me  
You don’t have to be scared you’re not enough  
‘Cause what we’ve got going is good_

Both of them had been through their own struggles, but Kurt truly believed there was something special between them and that they could move forward together if they tried.

_I don’t need more reminders of all that’s been broken  
I don’t need you to fix what I’d rather forget  
Clear the slate and start over  
Try to quiet the noises in your head  
We can’t compete with all that_

He felt Blaine shift beside him on the bench, moving ever so slightly closer as the last boundaries between them dissolved.

_So what if it’s us?  
What if it’s us and only us  
And what came before won’t count anymore or matter?  
Can we try that?_

His voice grew stronger in the refrain, hoping that Blaine would understand the meaning he was trying to convey. 

_What if it’s you and what if it’s me  
and what if that’s all we need it to be  
and the rest of the world falls away?   
What do you say?_

Kurt’s hands stilled on the keys as he looked into Blaine’s eyes. Blaine smiled and began playing himself. If Kurt could believe in them so strongly, if he could see beyond Blaine’s circumstances and love him for himself, what more could he ask?

_I never thought there’d be someone like you who would want me  
So I give you ten thousand reasons to not let me go  
But if you really see me  
If you like me for me and nothing else  
Well, that’s all that I’ve wanted for longer than you could possibly know_

Kurt brought up his arm behind Blaine and rested a hand on his back, needing some sort of physical contact. He could feel the happy tears forming as Blaine opened his heart to him.

_So it can be us  
It can be us and only us  
And what came before won’t count anymore or matter  
We can try that_

Kurt rested his head on Blaine’s shoulder as they began to sing together, sometimes in harmony, sometimes trading off lines, but always in sync with one another as if they had been singing together forever.

_It’s not so impossible  
Nobody else but the two of us here  
Cause you’re saying it’s possible  
We can just watch the whole world disappear_

_Till you’re the only one I still know how to see  
It’s just you and me_

_It'll be us  
It’ll be us and only us  
And what came before won’t count anymore  
We can try that, you and me  
That’s all that we need it to be  
And the rest of the world falls away…And it’s only us._

As soon as the last note faded, Blaine surged forward and captured Kurt’s lips with his own. Just as the song promised, the world fell away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally written for the Valentine's Day song prompt of "Only Us" from Dear Evan Hansen. I'll make the same apology here that I did when I posted this before - I am sorry if reading the lyrics was tedious, but the song fit this plot so perfectly that I couldn't resist. If you've never heard the song, please listen to it. It's lovely.


	6. North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse backward to when Blaine was banished by his father, and why he decided to head to the North Kingdom for sanctuary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original song prompt for this chapter was "If My Heart Was a House" by Owl City, which is the source of the lyric in italics at the beginning of the chapter.

_If my heart was a compass, you’d be North…_

Growing up as a prince afforded Blaine certain luxuries: a beautiful palace to live in, nice clothes to wear, a pony when he was little and a horse when he grew older – basically, everything he could ever want. With a few short words, he had effectively surrendered all of those things, but he didn’t really care. The only luxury he wanted now was the first that had been stripped from him: time.

He slammed the thick, wooden bedroom door behind him, leaning against it and panting heavily. He’d run all the way from his father’s study, but it wasn’t the exertion that left him breathless. It was the combination of relief and terror. Examining his feelings would have to wait for another day, however. He didn’t have the time now.

Swiftly pulling a bag from his wardrobe, he began gathering the clothes and other items he would need. His mind raced, but he had to be smart. It wasn’t like he could come back if he forgot something.

A creak from the other side of the room alerted him to Sebastian’s entrance. His friend took in the sight of Blaine packing, and frowned. “So, I’m guessing that didn’t go well,” he observed, plopping down on the foot of the bed.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Seb, don’t,” he snapped.

“Hey, Blaine, calm down. Tell me what happened,” he requested calmly.

“I can’t calm down! Don’t you see? I have to go.” Blaine kept packing throughout the conversation, putting this shirt in and then taking it out, only to replace it with another. 

Sebastian caught him by the wrist, demanding his attention. “Come on, it can’t be so bad that you want to leave.”

Blaine sighed, pausing for a moment to face his best friend. “I didn’t say I _want_ to go. I said I _have_ to go,” he clarified. 

Understanding began to dawn on Sebastian’s face. “You don’t mean…Blaine, what happened?”

Blaine sat on the bed beside him, staring down at his fingers as he toyed with them in his lap. “He wants to marry me off. He said there’s a Lady Something-or-Other who is coming to visit next week, and he expects a betrothal before her visit ends. We argued, and I told him I had no intention of proposing to her or any other woman, for that matter.”

Blaine paused, steeling himself to tell the remainder of the story. “He was angry, I could tell. He asked me why I never wanted to get married, and I told him…”

Blaine faltered, his hands beginning to shake. Sebastian reached out, placing his steady hand atop Blaine’s trembling ones. “You told him?” he prompted.

“I told him I’d be happy to marry – once I find the right man,” he whispered. 

Blaine held his breath, expecting Sebastian to withdraw his hand, to pull away in disgust or rebuke him as his father had. Instead, Sebastian remained steadily at his side. “Then what did he say?”

Blaine’s head snapped up in shock. He regarded Sebastian for a moment, but found no traces of ill will in his eyes. “He banished me. I have an hour before he sends the guards to drag me out. He screamed that he wouldn’t have someone ‘like me’ ruling or living in his kingdom. He said…” Blaine stopped short. No, he wouldn’t give value to his father’s hateful words by repeating them. “I think you can guess the rest, actually.”

Sebastian nodded sadly. Giving Blaine’s hand a final squeeze, he stood, hauling Blaine up at the same time. “Okay, then. I’ll meet you back here in half an hour.”

“What? Why?” Blaine questioned.

Sebastian gave Blaine one of his signature smirks. “I’m going with you, stupid,” he quipped. Before Blaine could protest further, Sebastian stopped him, his voice suddenly sober. “If he cannot accept the nature of his own son’s heart, it’s only a matter of time before he comes after the rest of us.”

It took a second longer than it should have for Blaine to understand what Sebastian had just admitted. He’d had his suspicions, of course, but neither of them had ever spoken of it. Blaine chalked it up to his own confusion, convincing himself that he was projecting his own feelings on his best friend to make them more understandable. 

Without another word, Sebastian slipped out the side door through which he had entered. By the time he returned, Blaine’s bag was packed and he was looking at a map spread out across his desk.

“So, Your Highness, where are going?”

While Blaine hadn’t planned on coming out to his father today, he knew it was an inevitability. He also realized it was unlikely that his father would react well, and the notion of needing a place to which he could escape was not far-fetched. They may be leaving in a rush, but their destination was one he’d chosen long ago.

Tracing his finger across the map, Blaine pointed to their goal.

“We’re trekking all the way up to the North? Why there?” Sebastian asked incredulously.

Why, indeed. It had been easy to eliminate possible locations when he began searching. After all, most of the rulers of the surrounding kingdoms were close allies of his father. Even if their personal opinions differed from his father’s, he couldn’t imagine any of them going against him to help Blaine. By process of elimination, the North was seemingly the only choice.

At least, that was the explanation he gave to Sebastian. It was all true, but there was another reason that guided his footsteps northward. He called up a collection of memories, years and years held, of a visit from the King of the North and his young son, the Prince, when Blaine was around five or six years old. While the two regents met, Blaine was given the responsibility of entertaining their young guest. He recalled offering a variety of games and activities, but the fair-haired boy had been most excited about having a tea party in the garden. Wanting to be a good host, Blaine agreed to do what the visitor wanted. He had enjoyed it more than he expected he would. He also remembered finding the young boy across the table from him rather pretty, which seemed to young Blaine an odd thing to think about another boy, but the word fit. 

He had even complimented the Prince on the clever way he’d tied a swatch of brightly-colored, striped fabric around his collar in a bow. The Prince had been so thrilled by the praise that he immediately untied the fabric and looped it around Blaine’s neck, attempting to tie it in the same manner. He hadn’t quite succeeded, but he did a fair job and sat back, a satisfied smile on his fair face. 

All too soon, the two boys heard yelling coming from inside the palace. The King of the North stormed out into the garden, telling his son they were leaving at once. The small boy protested, but his father insisted. The last memory Blaine had was of the boy waving goodbye to him, tears beginning to cloud his bright blue eyes.

A chime from the mantle clock stirred Blaine from his reverie. He rolled the map up carefully, securing it with a strip of brightly-colored, striped fabric and stowing it safely in his bag. It was time to head North.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know I said this before, but I promise that this really is the last one-shot I wrote for "The Snow King" 'verse. I don't have anything else in the works right now, but I do want to come back here some day. As always, until then, be kind to yourself and to one another.


	7. To Fight for Honor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A threat from the South Kingdom has Kurt poised for battle, but he has overlooked a most valuable asset while making his plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted as a chapter in my collection for the 2021 Klaine CrissColfer Valentine's Day Challenge, "Happy Valenklaine's Day 2021." The song prompt was "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera.

He should have known it couldn’t last. 

The first rumblings reached Kurt’s ears a few weeks after the Festival of Hearts. They were rumors, really – whispers and overheard half-truths, but if they were true…

Over the next few days, Kurt kept in close contact with his head of intelligence. Elliott was smart, loyal, and just the right kind of cunning to be an invaluable resource to his king. The information he provided was far from promising. 

As the gossip and chatter began to coalesce into a very real threat, he knew the time for action was at hand. He assembled his most trusted advisors to begin strategizing and preparing for what was to come.

“Your Highness?”

Huddled over the table and listening intently as one of the advisors pointed out something on a map, Kurt didn’t notice the first time he was called. 

“Your Highness.” A pause. “Kurt!”

His head snapped up at the sound of his first name. Blaine stood in the doorway, his countenance a mixture of hesitance and exasperation. “My apologies, gentlemen,” he greeted, bowing to those assembled at the table, “but I require a moment of His Majesty’s time, if I may.”

Kurt excused himself, saying something quietly to the group before leaving the table. He indicated with a nod of his head that Blaine should follow him as he exited to a small, private anteroom. With the large solid door shut behind him, he turned to Blaine.

“Why so formal, Blaine? You know I hate it when you call me that,” he asked, reaching for Blaine’s hand and frowning when Blaine carefully pulled his hand away.

“I didn’t think it was appropriate to address you by your given name in front of your advisors,” Blaine answered, clasping his hands in front of him, “and to be honest, I don’t need to speak with Kurt. I need to speak with the King.”

Kurt continued to frown, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

“When were you going to tell me?” Blaine asked, his voice laced with a coldness Kurt hadn’t heard before.

“Blaine,” Kurt implored. 

“When were you going to tell me that you were planning a battle against the South because of me?” Blaine’s eyes flashed with an emotion Kurt had only witnessed when Blaine spoke of his father.

“I was going to tell you, but I couldn’t. Not yet,” Kurt replied.

“Oh, well _that_ explains everything. Thank you so much!” Blaine exclaimed sarcastically, throwing his arms in the air and starting to pace around the room.

Kurt was a patient man, and knew this would be an emotional issue for Blaine, but he was not above being perturbed by his tone. “You would do well to remember yourself in the presence of your King,” he snapped. If Blaine wanted to address him as his king, then Kurt would act like it.

Blaine halted his pacing and shot a look across the room. “Come off it, Kurt. You’ve known for days about this, I’ll bet. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” 

Kurt took another deep breath. Sniping at one another wasn’t going to get them anywhere. “Come. Sit with me,” he offered quietly, crossing to a small couch under a window and giving Blaine an expectant stare.

Blaine sighed and complied with Kurt’s request. Much to Kurt’s relief, he sat close enough that their knees were touching. 

“Just so you know,” Blaine explained, “none of your people betrayed you. I didn’t find out from them. I still have a few friends within the Southern borders.”

“Very well. What do you know? I will supplement your knowledge with all the information I have.”

Blaine stared blankly ahead, as if he was seeing something much farther away than the opposite wall. “An attack is coming. My father is assembling the army, and is preparing to march on the Northern border.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “They’re coming for me. I am to be returned to the South, dead or alive.”

The information had been horrible when Kurt first learned of it. Hearing the words fall from Blaine’s own mouth was nearly unbearable.

“Your information matches mine. Of course, I have more details on troop numbers, locations, and so on, but that’s it, in a nutshell. The only thing I don’t exactly know is, why?” Kurt furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand. Your father cast you out of his kingdom. He set out traps to capture you if you tried to return. Why try to forcibly bring you back now?”

“That’s easy,” Blaine scoffed. “Because of me, or more accurately,” he corrected, turning his gaze to meet Kurt’s, “because of _us_.”

“You mean…” Realization struck Kurt like lightning. Of course. The Festival of Hearts.

“Word got back to my father of our attachment,” Blaine explained. “It was one thing to know of my inclinations himself. I was a disgrace to him, so he banished me. He probably figured I’d be dead before I could make it anywhere safe.” Kurt put his hand, palm side up, on Blaine’s knee. Without hesitation, Blaine took it this time, intertwining their fingers. 

“With me removed from his kingdom, he hoped no one would ever find out about the dishonor I’d brought upon the family.”

Kurt squeezed his hand. “There is not a dishonorable bone in your body, my Prince,” he said forcefully.

Blaine gave a small smile. “Well, be that as it may, once he, and the rest of the kingdoms, learned that I was not only alive, but romancing the Snow King, he decided that the only way to defend the family name was to eliminate me – permanently.”

“He shall not touch you. I swear that to you,” Kurt vowed. 

Blaine sighed. “Kurt, this isn’t your fight. This isn’t your kingdom’s fight. I should be the one to deal with this.” 

“It is _our_ fight, Blaine. Yours, mine, and all of the North Kingdom’s,” Kurt protested. “You are a part of me, a part of us now. Your honor is as our own, and we will fight for you,” he pledged emphatically.

Blaine’s eyes shone with unshed tears. Never in his entire life had he felt so loved and cherished. One matter still troubled him, however. He withdrew his hand and stood proudly, every inch a prince.

“If there is to be a fight, I will not sit idly by. I can’t hide behind the castle’s walls while you and others defend me, Kurt,” he stated firmly.

Kurt nodded and rose to stand beside him. “You are right. I should have included you from the outset. I was so worried about protecting you that I lost sight of the fact that you are more than capable of defending yourself,” he admitted. “But you will need our help. Your father is sending his army, Blaine, not merely a single soldier.”

“I know. But you will need my help, too. I trained with the captain of the guard. Part of my duties as prince was to oversee matters involving the army. Which means…”

“You know all their tactics,” Kurt finished, eyes going wide. This was exactly the edge they needed. “Come,” he ordered, taking Blaine by the wrist and pulling him towards the door. “We have much to do and very little time in which…”

Blaine tugged against him, stopping just shy of the door. Kurt turned back and suddenly had Blaine’s arm around his waist. “Thank you,” he murmured. “Thank you for loving me, and protecting me, and fighting for me.”

Kurt smiled, pressing a kiss to his lips. “Always.”


End file.
